[0762]

I think being connected to a huge EU single market is a natural stance to take TBH and it's a healthy economic one albeit the fact that the EU is not perfect. Also in Scotland's case, severance of trade with other UK neighbours would not suddenly cease as falsely insinuated previously by shameless unionists - it wouldn't happen! In Catalonia's case, that would have been part of the dialogue that Puigdemont suggested to subsequently follow with the Spanish govt - trade with Spain as normal but with new trade 'terms of reference'. Again cross border trade would not cease as too many long established trade links anyway and the logistics favour all trading partners!
Re Catalonia's 'isolation', there are many ways that people in all Euro countries can still muster support and show the Catalans that they are 'not on their own'! I hope 'decent human nature prevails' and that kinda positive action is applied in spite of the disappointing political isolationism coming from Euro govts and others. IMO independence is ultimately dependent on the resolve of the supportive population and decent control of press and media would not go amiss either! That's where Catalonia has had an advantage over Scotland where my country is still inundated with a disproportionate flood of unionist/anti Scottish govt media shit (incl the bbc!) for a very long time and yet the SNP still 'hold firm' up here and are finally attracting additional support again to the detriment of other unionist political parties that 'do not impress'.

[0762]

...and ah-haaaa ! Belgium offering political asylum to Puigdemont! A 'diplomatic incident' now brewing between Belgium and those oppressive govt b####### in Spain. It's a pity Scotland and Nicola couldnae have 'jumped in' to offer the same and 'knock Rajoy's nose out of joint' - that interfering Spanish c#### incursions of 2014 against Scottish self-determination never forgotten by many staunch Scots and that includes me!! Of course such a compassionate move would have our 'better together' partners (sic) down south who are diametrically opposites to the sympathetic Scottish line for obvious reasons!

[0762]

On a day when a Spanish court (at the insistence of the Spanish govt) has issued a European arrest warrant against the Catalan PM Puigdemont in the latest phase of repression against the Catalans, as a Scot I can naturally reflect back to 2014 and that well known orchestrated campaign against Scottish independence - Project Fear hatched up by the Westminster govt with all colluding shameless unionist 'pals'/political parties attached to it. Compare that with Catalonia - in just a few weeks we've seen ballot papers seized, newspapers suppressed (the Catalans have a good significant supportive media unlike Scotland!), rubber bullets fired and parliaments shut down, with national leaders fleeing the country under threat of sedition charges, all under the approving eyes of the EU - amazing!!! If the British state used 'fear', the Spanish state has deployed skin-searing terror to bring its rebellious province into line. Day by day, Madrid has been ramping up the horror! Amid the confusion of two different urges, the condoning one that the UK, EU and Spanish socio democrats are attached to while the moral stance is one of repulsion against Rajoy and his fascist behaviour - the smell of jackboots is repulsive! Yes, the referendum was illegal, provided we accept one important condition - it is illegal if you believe that Spain's constitution cancels out the most basic principle of international law, article 1(2) of the UN charter, concerning the right of nations to self-determination. I'd argue that, by this logic, almost every independence movement in history was illegal, because most were forced to break with the constitutional norms of the time, often violently. If accepted, the number of states in the world would have been tiny! Dominant states do not like 'breakaways' - hence the suppression! This whole political episode against Catalonia 'leaves a very bad taste in the mouth' and IMO more alliances are required in support of the Catalan people!

[0762]

.....and this Sunday morning Puigdemont and four Catalan govt ministers 'hand themselves in' to be arrested by the Belgian Police but will they be 'handed over' to a fascist Spanish govt? We shall see!

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/n...-catalonia
And Puigdemont unsurprisingly bailed and released, together with his other ministers, pending a final hearing that will no doubt reject this European arrest warrant while other separatist associates are still imprisoned in Spain for merely holding a political view - a shocking breach of proper democratic values while one observes a more pragmatic and civilised legal process in Belgium that makes a mockery of Spanish behaviour.

[0762]

Listening to the Spanish PM, Rajoy, preaching today in Barcelona about the upcoming election next month and the use of the 'democratic process' in encouraging the 'unionist block' to turn out in high numbers!!?? Democratic process and democratic principles???This guy is a fascist, pure n simple, together with this sinister backing of fascist followers, the 'grupo de secuaces' who surround him as he issues statements and threats that incarcerate democratically elected Catalan politicians and others deemed to have similar views re independence! I simply call it 'taking the pish' - a right wing hypocrite who believes he can 'get away unchallenged' with any kinda outrageous or hypocritical statement that is not akin to his own extreme political views. We have our own versions of this kinda c### in British politics - so we can easily identify these 'chancers' from past and current experience.